Large piece of metal falls from midtown Atlanta building

ATLANTA — Powerful winds are to blame for an explosion in midtown Atlanta that caused a traffic backlog on multiple streets Tuesday.

Neighbors at the Icon Midtown told Channel 2's Matt Johnson they ran and hid at the sight of the explosion Monday night.

This explosion was loud and powerful enough to wake neighbors like Denise Kalentzis from their beds.

“It was really loud, it shook the entire apartment building,” Kalentzis said.

Surveillance video showed the moments after strong winds knocked a piece of metal from a mural and into power lines at around 11:15 p.m.

The piece of decorative metal flew off a mural on an apartment building at 14th and West Peachtree Street.

It landed about 200 feet away.

“All the lights turned off, and turned back on, and that happened several times,” Kalentzis said.

It caused a traffic nightmare for people driving through midtown Tuesday morning.

Police kept the intersection closed until crews safely removed the bottom half of metal that remained intact.

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“It took me about 2-and-a-half hours to get here,” said one driver.

Kalentzis is usually excited by storms but Monday night's storm was the most damaging one she's been a part of.

“This one, it was really nerve wracking,” Kalentzis said.

The property management for the Icon Midtown building said safety was the top priority as crews removed the remaining debris. They haven't said what will happen to replace the panel that fell off.

Ed Allen, Senior Vice President of Development, of The Related Group released a statement to Channel 2 Action News.

“During high winds last evening, a metal panel became detached and was carried from our development site. Fortunately, there were no injuries and we are now working with our construction management team to remove the remaining debris as efficiently and safely as possible,” said Ed Allen, Senior Vice President of Development for The Related Group. “Our goal is to minimize any further traffic congestion and allow everyone to go on with their day. The safety of nearby residents and on-site crew has always been our top priority. The mural has been inspected and the remaining portion of the panel that came loose has been removed. All other components were deemed secure."

Cox Media Group